CALL TO ACTION #907: Demand a Congress #WhoCaresForUs! That Includes Prisoners and their Jailers!(April 23, 2020)

194 Days

Until the November 3rd Election


Be sure to fully participate in our

May state and local elections! 

 

Important dates

NOW: Voters’ pamphlets delivered

April 28: Voter registration deadline*

April 29: First ballots are mailed

May 19: Primary Election Day

*You can’t vote if you’re not registered! Check here to confirm or change your registration status. The deadline is only . . .

FIVE days away!

Don’t delay. Urge all of your like-minded friends and family to do the same. Progressive activism means working the entire ballot, including seemingly obscure local boards and commissions.

Make the BLUE WAVE wash over every level of government!



Today’s Call To Action

WE NEED A CONGRESS #WHOCARESFORUS

THAT INCLUDES PRISONERS AND THEIR JAILERS 


We have learned that packing people into close quarters is a recipe for creating COVID-19 death trapsThink nursing homes, cruise and Navy ships, pork plants, immigrant detention facilities and prisons. 

 

In fact, some of the worst outbreaks in the country have occurred in our 60 federal prisons. With nearly 155,000 prisoners and 36,000 staff at risk, the casualties and fatalities are mounting: 

  • 540 inmates and 353 staff tested positive for COVID-19 
  • 23 inmates have died; zero staff have died

 

In response, Congress gave the DOJ authority (CARES ACT) to allow non-violent prisoners to serve their sentences in home confinement. They started ordering early release for some inmates—then inexplicably pulled back, leaving inmates, families and even a federal judge confused and irate.  

The Trump DOJ cannot be trusted to do this job competently and humanely. Prison staff started to quarantine prisoners, then released them back to the general prison population. Congress should step in again to protect prisoners and prison staff:  

  • Require DOJ to immediately plan for and release to home confinement non-violent prisoners, regardless of how long they have already served  
  • Adequately fund prison health care  
  • Fund enough medical equipment and require social distancing protections 


**ACTION ONE: CALL OUR U.S. SENATORS**

SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR SENATORS MERKLEY and WYDEN:

“My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [town/city], Oregon [zip code].

COVID-19 doesn’t distinguish between prisoners and people living outside. Please tell the Senator that we can’t count on the DOJ to do a good job of reducing COVID-19 risk for both prisoners and prison staff. In the next relief package, he should push to:

1) Specify more clearly than in the CARES Act that DOJ must release non-violent prisoners to home confinement, regardless of how long they have already served

2) Adequately fund prison health care

3) Fund enough medical equipment and require social distancing protections to protect prisoners and prison staff. 

Thank you.”


SENATOR JEFF MERKLEY

Portland: (503) 326-3386, DC: (202) 224-3753
Salem: (503) 362-8102, Eugene: (541) 465-6750
Medford: (541) 608-9102, Bend: (541) 318-1298
Pendleton: (541) 278-1129
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/contact/

 

SENATOR RON WYDEN

Portland: (503) 326-7525, DC: (202) 224-5244
Salem: (503) 589-4555, Eugene: (541) 431-0229
Medford: (541) 858-5122, Bend: (541) 330-9142
La Grande: (541) 960-7691
https://www.wyden.senate.gov/contact/

 


**ACTION TWO: CALL COMPLICIT GREG WALDEN**

SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR WALDEN:

“My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [town/city], Oregon [zip code]. 

COVID-19 doesn’t distinguish between prisoners and people living outside. Please tell Greg Walden that we can’t count on the DOJ to do a good job of reducing COVID-19 risk for both prisoners and prison staff. In the next relief package, he should push to:

1) Specify more clearly than in the CARES Act that DOJ must release non-violent prisoners to home confinement, regardless of how long they have already served

2) Adequately fund prison health care

3) Fund enough medical equipment and require social distancing protections to protect prisoners and prison staff. 

Thank you.”

Thank you.”

COMPLICIT GREG WALDEN

DC (202) 225-6730, Medford: (541) 776-4646
Bend (541) 389-4408, La Grande (541) 624-2400
https://walden.house.gov/contact-greg/email-me


**ACTION THREE: BE AN ACTIVIST**

Non-ORD2 Indivisible Sponsored Event: Find out about Fungus with John Villella Online!
April 23 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
https://ord2indivisible.org/event/non-ord2-indivisible-sponsored-event-find-out-about-fungus-with-john-villella-online/

Non-ORD2 Indivisible Sponsored Event: Fire and Climate Summit Webinar Series: Preparing for Wildfire Season During the COVID-19 Pandemic- Virtual
May 5 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
https://ord2indivisible.org/event/non-ord2-indivisible-sponsored-event-fire-and-climate-summit-webinar-series-preparing-for-wildfire-season-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-virtual/

Ongoing Action: ORD2 Indivisible Virtual Postcard and Letter Writing Parties

Postcards to Voters:

Our postcard team is temporarily suspending the delivery of postcards to your door. However, the good news is that you will find everything you need to continue writing from home (including templates to print your own or purchase pre-printed cards) here: https://postcardstovoters.org

You can sign up through https://postcardstovoters.org/volunteer/

To avoid unnecessary trips to the post office, order stamps directly from the USPS:
https://store.usps.com/store/product/buy-stamps/coral-reefs-postcard-stamp-S_745104

…and voila, you’re ready to go! Send an e-mail to with any questions.

Letters to Voters

We encourage our team of volunteers to sign up with Swing Left to start writing letters to voters in 12 swing states.  It is super easy to join. Check out their website, sign up, and let’s start writing! https://swingleft.org/

Send an e-mail to if you would like more information about how to get involved.

Virtual Letter-writing Parties

We encourage you to join virtual letter-writing parties hosted by Oregon Indivisible / Swing Left. The parties are held at noon every Saturday and on the last Tuesday of every month. Here are the links for the next two parties:

April 25 virtual letter-writing party – https://www.mobilize.us/swingleft/event/267146/

**Visit the ORD2 Indivisible Event Calendar on a regular basis to keep updated on local activities. Participate with us as often as you can. We also encourage you to submit events to be added to the ORD2 Indivisible Event Calendar and help us keep current with our event postings. https://ord2indivisible.org/submit-your-event/